Match Night Intestines
This story is a leftover from my previous trip to South Korea two months ago. The date was June 17th 2010 and on the streets of Seoul world cup fever was in the air. For Korean fans the night was not simply about soccer; it was also wrapped up in a sense of national pride, identity, and confidence. These were fans like no other… Read more
Seoul Streets: Samcheong-dong
I spent my final few days in Seoul exploring a few areas I hadn’t been to before. First up was Samcheong-dong (삼청동) which lies north of Insadong and east of Gyeongbokgung Palace. The hilly neighborhood is characterized by numerous small art galleries, coffee shops, and many beautiful old residential houses. Read more
Finding Serenity in Sokcho
Sokcho (속초) is a small city on the north-east coast of South Korea along the 38th Parallel, in close proximity to North Korea. While the city in itself doesn’t have much to attract visitors (think 1970′s grey apartment blocks) the nearby Seoraksan National Park (설악산) is renowned for being one of the most beautiful in the country. I took a trip to see for myself… Read more
Julio Mexican Diner & Cafe
On my first night in Seoul during my previous visit I went out for dinner at a Mexican restaurant in Gangnam that I’d seen recommended on Seoul Eats. Strangely enough I’d never eaten Mexican food before so was keen to try it out. Even more strange that my first time to eat it would be in South Korea… Read more
Jeonju Photo Walk – Part 3
We conclude our photographic journey around Jeonju in South Korea (Pt. 1 & 2) on the third and final day of my stay there. With only half a day left before heading back to the crowds in Seoul it was definitely time to take advantage of the relaxing surroundings of the Hanok Village… Read more
Samgyetang Ginseng Chicken Soup
On my second day in Jeonju I had a chance to sample a dish I hadn’t had in Korea before; Samgyetang (삼계탕), which literally translates as “‘ginseng chicken soup” and is traditionally served in the summer for its supposed nutrients, which replace those lost through excessive sweating and physical exertion during the hot weather. Read more
Jeonju Photo Walk – Part 2
My second, but first full day in Jeonju was spent leisurely exploring the Hanok Village (day 1 here). As it was a Monday morning there weren’t very many people around and many of the shops were closed but this gave us the advantage of having the place to ourselves and there was still plenty to see… Read more
Bibimbap Heaven in Jeonju
If you’ve never tried Korean food than you’re missing out big time. While kimchi may not be everyone’s dish-of-fermented-cabbage there’s oh so much more to try and among my favourite dishes is Bibimbap – literally meaning “mixed rice”. It just so happens that bibimbap originates from Jeonju so while I was there I tried the original… Read more
Jeonju Photo Walk – Part 1
During my two-and-a-bit days in Jeonju, South Korea I spent most of my time in the traditional Hanok Village and managed to snap a sizable number of pics which I want to share over the next few days in a three-part series. I’ll keep my notes short but should be enough to give you a flavour of what you can find there. Read more
Hakindang Hanok Guest House (학인당)
Last week I took an impromptu but much-needed holiday to South Korea. While I hadn’t expected to return to Korea this year the time and price were right so I decided to go for it and took a midnight flight from Hong Kong to Seoul arriving 5am in driving rain. Not the best start perhaps but from there on in things went decidedly uphill… Read more